Book-shelf and shipping-crate.



2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

I (Nu Model.)

THE NORR 5 PETERS CD PHOTO LITHO WASHINGTON D C I am witness UNITEDSTATES- PATENT @FFICE.

ALVA A. LOOMIS, OF EMPIRE, OHIO.

BOOK-SHELF AN SH l PPIN G-CRATE SPEGEEIUATION forming part of LettersFatent No. 700,060, dated Mayi 13, 1902.

Application filed May 7, 1901.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVA ALBERT LOOMIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Empire, in the county of 'Jefferson and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Shelves andShipping- Crat-es; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and'exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to th'e'accompanying drawings, and to the figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invent-ion relates to shipping-boxes, and has for its'object' toprovide a device which will insure the safe transportation of books andwhich may be readily converted into a book case or shelf of neat'andartistic appearance.

A further object of the improvement is to provide a cover of improvedconstruction which will protect-the highly-finished parts of the bodyportion frominjury during transportation and which may be taken apartand stowed for future use while using the body portion for'book case o'rshelf.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide improved means forsecuring and locking the cover to the body portion.

The invention consists in the-novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of thisspecification, and wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of theshipping-box, showing the parts locked together ready fortransportation. Fig; 2 is a perspective view ofthe body portion of thebox in use as a bookcase or shelf, the cover being turned down ready forremoval. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2when the box is in closed position, showing the books in elevation.

The shipping-box consists of two sections, a cover and a body portion orthe section thereof to be utilized as a book case or shelf, and is ofany suitable form and size or capacity and of a depth sufticient topermit the (No model.)

books (when two or more body port-ions are used, as is illustrated inFig. 2 of the drawings) being tilted upon their lower outeredges withoutabutting against the bottom of the contiguous shelf to facilitate theirwithdrawal. I

The body portion or shelf consists of a bottom 1, sides 2, and a back 3.The sides 2 are rabbeted at their lower ends for the reception of theends of the bottom 1 and at their inner edges for the reception of theends of the back 3,-and said pieces are secured together'by any propermeans." The sides and edges of the body portion which are exposed toview when the same is being used as a book case or shelf are highlypolished to lend an artisticappearance thereto.

The cover is adapted to close the body por- "tion and embrace the sidesand edges thereof to protect them from injury'and prevent the books fromhaving any movement in the box formed by the placing of the cover on thebody portion, said cover consisting of a front 4, top 5', and sides 6.'Thesides 6 are constructed of heavy sheet metal, and each has its loweredge and side bent'at aright angle to form front and top flanges 4 and5, respectively, and to which are secured thefront 4 and top 5. Thefront 4 and top5fare each provided in its inner surface at points-inter-.mediateits ends with embedded transverselyarranged plates 7, havingperforations to aline with the slots 8, carrying internally-screwthreaded sleeves 9, which are secured to said plates 7 by screw-bolts10, terminating at suitable points in the sleeves to permit of thereception of screws 11 from the opposite sides, and which pass throughperforations in the ifiange's 4 and 5 to securethe bottom 4 and top '5tothe si'des 6. Thetop 5 is adapted to rest upon the books to occupy thespace left" to permit them to be tilted, preventing any movement of thebooks in the box during movement or transportation. i

'It is apparent from the above manner of securing the sections ofthecovertogether that the same maybe readilytaken apart and stowed whenusing the-body portion for a book case or shel ll designates strapssecured at their ends down, forming angle-straps, and adapted to liefiat against the surface of the bottom 1 and to be secured thereto. Theends 13 are provided with elongated slots ll to receive the hooked endsof angle-irons 15, secured to the bottom 4 of the cover, thus pivotallyand detachably securing the cover to the body portion. The ends 12 ofthe straps have stam ped up therefrom perforated cars 16, which fit inrecesses formed in the back 3 to place the perforationsin alinement withpassages 16, leading to the edge of said bottom, and which aline withperforations 17 in the flanges 5 of the cover. Screw-bolts 17 a arepassed through said perforations into the passages to place their innerthreaded ends in the recess to permit of fastening-nuts being placedthereon to secure the top 5 in position.

The edge 18 is provided with recesses 19, and communicating therewithare longitudinal passages 20, extending through the ends 2 of the bodyportion and alining with perforations 20 in the sides 6. Passing throughthe perforations 20 into the passages 20, with their inner endsprojecting into the recesses, are threaded bolts 21 to permit offasteningnuts 19 being placed upon their projecting ends to secure thesides 6 to the body portion, substantially as indicated in Fig. l of thedrawings.

, It is apparent from the above manner of securing the cover to the bodyportion that the shipping-box is reinforced, and all liability of thecontents thereof becoming damaged from any frailness of the box isobviated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is obvious that the improvement provides ashipping-box which may be converted into a book case or shelf of neatand artistic appearance and which is cheap, durable, and efficient.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a bookcase andshipping-box, a body portion adapted to be used as a book case or shelf,said body portion being of a depth sufficient to provide a space betweenthe top of the books and the bottom of the contiguous book case orshelf, to permit the books being tilted, straps secured to the bodyportion, and provided with slots, a cover consisting of sides, a front,and a back, hooks secured to the front and adapted to engage the slots,and means for securing the sides to the body portion.

2. In a bookcase and shipping-box, comprising a bodyportion adapted tobe used as a book case or shelf, said body portion being of a depthsufiicicnt to provide a space between the top of the books and thebottom of the contiguous book case or shelf, to permit the books beingtilted, and a cover adapted to be secured to said body portion, toembrace the edges and sides of the body portion to protect them frominjury.

The combination with abody portion; of a cover consisting of sideshaving top and front flanges provided with perforations, of a fronthaving perforations, and of a top having perforations, plates havingperforations, and secured to said top and front, threaded sleevesmounted in the perforations in the front and top, screw-bolts passingthrough the perforations in said plates into said sleeves to secure themto the plates, screw-bolts pass- I cover provided with perforationsadapted to aline with said passages, hooks upon said cover to engagesaid slots, and screw-bolts passing through said perforations andpassages into said recesses, substantially as described.

5. In a bookcase and shipping-box, comprising a body portion adapted tobe used as a book case or shelf, and consisting of a bottom, sides and aback, said body portion being of a depth suflicient to provide a spacebetween the top of the books and the bottom of the contiguous book caseor shelf, to permit the books being tilted, and a cover adapted to besecured to said body portion and consisting of a top to occupy saidspace to prevent the books having any movement in the box, a front andsides to embrace the edges and sides of the body portion to protect themfrom injury.

6. In a bookcase and shipping-box, a body portion adapted to be usedas abook case or shelf, said body portion being of a depth sufficient toprovide a space between the top of the books and the bottom of thecontiguous book case or shelf, to permit the books being tilted, strapssecured to the body portion and provided with slots, a cover consistingof sides having top and front flanges, a front and a back, means forsecuring the front and back to the flanges, hooks secured to the frontand adapted to engage the slots, and means for socuring the sides to thebody portion.

ALVA A. LOOMIS.

Vitnesses:

W. M. SMITH, .T. H. LoWRY.

